WILMINGTON ~ JULY 2011

Greg Inskip · **Joined:** Tue Mar 09, 2010 5:47 pm **Posts:** 1081

Great pictures of the New River Gorge and pictures/video of the falcons in the box.

The Gorge looks more like Cooper's hawk or goshawk habitat than falcon habitat, but I guess that some falcons make a living catching birds on the canopy, or intercepting ones that try to take shortcuts across the valley. Lots of woodland birds on the menu in Wilmington, so the falcons can catch them somehow.

Catbird · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 2:09 pm

Kim, Reenie, and SGB - Thanks for the great pictures, videos, and commentary from this morning!

SusanE - I can't thank you enough for making that side trip on Thursday to New River Gorge and for sharing your pictures and comments with us. It must have been something to see so many juveniles together at one time! And as for your pictures of that pretty juvie about 50 feet up on the tree, I'm hoping it was one of the Wilmington girls!

Jane · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 2:41 pm

Susan, your pictures and description of your visit to the Gorge were fabulous. Thank you so much for sharing this with all of us. Noticed that on the sign it did NOT mention birds from Delaware. And perhaps many of the juvies are lucky to have a better chance, but will never think it was a wise choice for the Wilmington girls.

Kim Steininger · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 3:11 pm

Susan, thanks so much for your report and pictures! It looks like a beautiful place! Seems odd having falcons perching in pine trees though...

Kim Steininger · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 3:23 pm

Thanks MA for the pictures! I was hoping someone would be watching the webcam! :)

And thanks Reenie for capturing the video! That was too funny seeing WB chasing RG around! He chased her right out of the box!

Actually I'm not so sure it was RG he was chasing around! Heck if I can figure it out. I do know that RG left the box shortly after he went inside!

Kim Steininger · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 3:28 pm

Did you notice the new scrape in the box?

Kim Steininger · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 3:47 pm

I think it was CJ being chased. The face looks like him and I don't see any red on band.

SusanE · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 4:44 pm

Jane wrote:

. . . Noticed that on the sign it did NOT mention birds from Delaware. And perhaps many of the juvies are lucky to have a better chance, but will never think it was a wise choice for the Wilmington girls.

I'm sure you also noticed that the sign goes on to state, “The survival of these nestling falcons in their original nests would have been extremely low because of the drowning risks associated with the nests being located at poor sites such as bridges and ship masts.” (Emphasis added)

Kim Steininger · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 4:59 pm

Unfortunately they were too far away <sigh> but here is a food almost handoff then drop from this morning!

Not sure why he pulled back here since it looked like the kid had it.

Red Boy doesn't look very happy about him not letting go of the food!

One of them almost had it here! I love the guy next to him that's upside down looking at it!

Not sure what the little piece of something is below CJ...

I don't know if CJ is rescuing the prey or that little piece of it that was below him...

I'm not sure why but that was the last picture of that series. I think they must have gone behind a building.

Kim Steininger · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 5:02 pm

A few more from this morning.

RG's tail is looking pretty scrappy!

WB and CJ on the ledge after WB was chasing someone around inside the box!

WB about to chase CJ away...

SusanE · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 5:04 pm

Love the almost-prey-transfer series. Really shows the details of the movements.

Jane · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 5:10 pm

Oh believe me, Susan. I noticed all of that. Have never heard anything of Peregrines nesting on ship's masts. That's a new one to me! However, a few years ago while on a Mediterranean cruise, a juvie Peregrine hitched a ride between Corfu, Greece and Venice. It did NOT miss the stowaway songbirds that were on there, either.

catwoman · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 6:17 pm

Wow, such a lot of gorgeous pictures to look at today! Susan, thanks for making the side-trip to the gorge & sharing your experience with us through pictures and commentary. I would just love to be somewhere that I could see 10 juvies at once! What an exciting side-trip this had to have been for you!

Kim, love those action photos of the food drop & almost-catch!

I know Barb has mentioned one ship in VA where peregrines nested. In fact, Sir James' son, JJ, who is the current male at the James River Bridge nest, used to nest on a ship not far from the James River Bridge nest.

Jane · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 7:20 pm

Kim, those pictures from this morning are AWESOME. Such a battle over that prey, and then it went to waste. And yes, RG's tail does look a little ratty. Kind of looks like she still has her brood patch, too. Thanks for the "ship" info Nancy. I didn't know that.

mikeg713 · **Posted:** Sat Jul 02, 2011 7:39 pm

Great pics, SusanE & Kim!!

Greg Inskip · **Joined:** Tue Mar 09, 2010 5:47 pm **Posts:** 1081

mikeg713 wrote:

Great pics, SusanE & Kim!!

That goes for me too.

REENIE · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 6:57 pm **Posts:** 19893

WOW SUSAN, WHAT ALOT OF INFO AND IT WAS ALL SO INTERESTING BUT BITTERSWEET. THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SHARE THAT WITH US!

KIM, THOSE PICS WERE AWESOME! THE ACTION YOU CATCH IS JUST UNSPEAKABLE! LOVED THEM ALL! THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO WATCH OVER ALL OF THEM AND FOR SHARING THE PICS WITH US :-)

THANKS TO EVERYONE ELSE FOR YOU INFO TOO!

skygirlblue · **Joined:** Sun Jul 26, 2009 3:18 pm **Posts:** 64399

Kim, that food transfer sequence is just awesome...I don't think I've ever seen such a series of pics before....You've been getting so many amazing aerials this season, they would make a great "Peregrine in Flight" table top book...Heck, just a 12 month calendar!!! I would buy one!!! I bet Mike and Bonnie would throw in a couple of theirs to add to the photo montage..............hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

kittenface · **Posted:** Sun Jul 03, 2011 1:28 am

Susan
What can I say that everyone else has said already
GREAT GREAT GREAToh yea and AWSOME :sunsmile:

Faith · **Posted:** Sun Jul 03, 2011 7:42 am

WOW! Susan, to be right there where Our DEAR Girls are. ( Wish that weren't so, but.........) That IS AWESOME! Thanks a million for sharing all of that info first hand.
Kim, the sequence Pictures are just beautiful. What talent you have, and we are benefiting from it all. Just to see that is spectacular. Kim, you do need to publish those and many more. ( Listen to us, not knowing what is involved in that endeavour.) I would love a Book for all to see. People have no idea what beauty is right around them. I know there are many "Books" out there with Bird Pictures, but not with the intensity yours are.

Thanks for all the other posting as well. I have been extremely busy with house,yard, & with company etc. Now paying for it by not feeling well. REST today! Nice to have tomorrow off!

Also , nice to see the nest box being used some again. Go... for a "new" scrape!

Bird Cams Around the World

WILMINGTON ~ JULY 2011

Who is online